Evidence Used to Prove Zantac Injuries

Thursday, October 14, 2021

Evidence Used to Prove Zantac Injuries

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

If you or a loved one took the acid reflux and heartburn medication Zantac and later developed cancer, then you may be eligible for significant compensation if you can prove that Zantac was the cause of the cancer. Speak with a Chicago Zantac attorney about a possible case right away. 

Injuries from Zantac

Zantac has recently come under fire because it was found that the drug contained dangerously high levels of the chemical compound Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).  NDMA is considered a carcinogen at high levels of intake to the body.  The FDA has determined people should consume no more than 96 nanograms of NDMA a day. 

Valisure’s lab testing found some Zantac formulas contain more than 3,000,000 ng per tablet.  Zantac has been alleged to have ingredients creating the unstable NDMA particle in people’s stomachs, spreading the carcinogen throughout their digestive systems.  

Proving Zantac Claims

The primary issue with Zantac legally is that it failed to provide proper adequate warning to patients and prescribing doctors of the potential risk for cancer posed by the drug.  Complaints allege that Zantac manufacturers knew of the dangerous levels of NDMA Zantac was causing people to develop in their stomachs upon the drug coming in contact with nitrates in the body. 

Some claim the company had this information from studies dating back to 1981, yet failed to warn the public or health care providers of these findings.  Thus, people were prescribed and chose to take Zantac without the proper legal disclosures available to them to warn them of the risk of cancer the drug’s chemical compound created.  

Federal Zantac lawsuits have been consolidated in multidistrict litigation (MDL) in Florida, and they are in the initial stages. This means lawsuits from across the country have been moved to one court to streamline the process and share resources. Discovery has started and is supposed to be completed by December of 2021. Discovery will need to gather evidence for all affected plaintiffs in the consolidated action that their cancer diagnosis stemmed from taking Zantac.

Qualifying for a cause of action against Zantac for cancer as a consequence of taking the drug first requires that you can prove that you used the drug relatively frequently over a period of time prior to your cancer diagnosis. Proving use of Zantac can be done through your pharmacy records, or if you purchased the over-the-counter version of the drug, through pharmacy receipts, or through basic corroborating evidence or statements that you took Zantac over a period of time preceding the cancer diagnosis.  

Next, as a plaintiff, you will have to show injury. This can be done by a medical diagnosis of any of the following types of cancer:

1. Stomach Cancer
2. Small Intestinal Cancer
3. Colorectal Cancer
4. Liver Cancer
5. Prostate Cancer
6. Pancreatic Cancer
7. Leukemia 
8. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma 
9. Multiple Myeloma 

Finally, the third thing you must do in order to have a successful legal claim against Zantac is to provide evidence that your Zantac use and your cancer diagnosis are related. There are many different factors that go into proving this.  

For example, if you can prove you took Zantac very frequently for an extended period of time, as opposed to infrequently and for sporadic periods of time, you would have a stronger case of linking your cancer to your intake of the drug Zantac. Latency must also be proven, as you cannot claim Zantac caused your cancer after taking a single dose of it and being diagnosed with cancer the next day. There has to be a period for the proper causation to occur, being supplied by a high enough intake of Zantac over a period of time, and having a period of time in between this intake and the eventual development of cancer.  

Contact a Chicago Zantac Attorney

If you or a loved one took the drug Zantac and developed any of the cancers mentioned above, you could be entitled to significant compensation for the harm caused to you by the drug. In order to receive the full compensation you are entitled to, you need the right Chicago-based law firm to represent your claim. 

At Malman Law, we have dedicated attorneys who will fight for your right to legal compensation for the harm you suffered by taking the drug Zantac.  Our law firm is dedicated to helping people like you receive the proper compensation they are entitled to for developing cancer due to the unsafe consumption of this drug.  Contact us online, or give us a call today at (312) 629-0099 for a consultation for your potential case today.